


Inevitable

by TheLittlestFairy



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Ambiguous Feelings, Dealing with Emotions, Gen, M/M, Other, They’re older in this, its not really zadr or zadf but like you get it, they are soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 07:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20484770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittlestFairy/pseuds/TheLittlestFairy
Summary: Dib ponders the years and where they’ve led him. He finds that the answer is inevitably Zim.





	Inevitable

The September night air blew through the sixteen year old’s window, sending a chill through his bedroom. It was going to be a restless night - Dib knew that much. He didn’t know much of anything lately except for the fact that he was confused. Confused and scared and unsure and way more vulnerable than he was comfortable with. Dib was growing up, you see, and that came with plenty of complications. On this particular sleepless night, Dib found himself struggling with his emotions. This was bound to happen eventually. He had spent his entire adolescence completely devoted to one being and one being only. Sure, Dib could make the excuse that his devotion went towards his mission to save earth, but the years had proved otherwise. Zim, that damned alien. He forced his way into Dib’s peaceful world so many years ago, and they were sworn enemies from the get go. Never had Dib -earths greatest protector- predicted that Zim would force his way into his very being. The lines blurred between Dib’s objectives over time until it was more accurate for him to say his purpose was Zim, not to stop Zim. 

Dib got up from bed to pace back and forth. His body aches to release some of his nervous tension that raged in his head. Dib just couldn’t understand it. All the years of fighting Zim, screaming at Zim, spying on Zim, they had all led to...what? What was this? Dib braced himself as he approached the wall closest to his bedroom door. There, multiple pictures of Zim were tacked to the drywall. When had his devotion to earth twisted into a devotion to the very thing that wished to destroy it? Dib shook as he reached out a hand to take down one of the many photographs. Thumbing its edges, he studied the green alien caught left-of-center in the picture. And Dib did not feel hate. Dib did not feel disgust. He felt something different entirely. The opposite side of the coin that he never anticipated flipping. No, as he stared at the image, Dib felt purpose. His whole life existed for this space invader. Every time he felt alive, it was thanks to Zim. Dib had been alone before Zim, but now his days were full of the alien. What made him angry was that he didn’t mind anymore. Dib lived for Zim and he didn’t even care. He was glad, actually. A life without Zim at this point would be meaningless, Dib had decided. Sighing, he sank to his bedroom floor, picture still in hand. The hours he had spent thinking this over told him that what he was feeling was wrong. He didn’t disagree with that. It was wrong. Living for the very thing that wanted him dead was wrong. Nevertheless, Dib found no satisfaction in anything that wasn’t Zim. 

———————————

Dib waited until daybreak to move from his spot on the floor. Once the first glow of sunlight seeped through his window, he settled his internal argument. The rest of the night was, of course, spent analyzing his twisted emotions. The results Dib found were heavy hitting, but inevitable. All of this, all of the time he spent on Zim and his evil schemes, that meant something to him now. The most impactful moments of his life he owed to the alien. With this in mind, he quickly dressed and slipped out of his house and into the cold morning streets of his neighborhood. Dib had his own mission to accomplish.

His feet took him to Zim’s lawn with pure muscle memory. He’d walked this road so many times, and he would continue to do so. Zim was home, Dib was sure of it. The faint glow of alien technology could be seen through the tinted windows if you knew what to look for, and Dib did. Steeling himself, Dib races for Zim’s front door, dodging the garden gnomes as he’d done many times over. He knocked loudly, standing back just in case the alien was ready to attack. Dib could never be too sure, even after all this time. The door cracked just slightly before swinging wide open, startling Dib just slightly. There Zim stood, already wearing his disguise and his all natural scowl. 

“Pitiful human! What brings you here to Zim’s mighty base this hour?!”

The alien howled, completely shameless and unaware of the still sleeping neighborhood. He looked Dib up and down, realizing the boy was wearing an expression he could simply not place. 

“Hey, Zim. Can I come in?”

Dib asked quietly. The ghost of a smile graced his face, but he tried to hide it anyways. Zim was unpredictable. Dib loved that though. To Zim, this was probably a threat. An enemy breaching his territory. Still, Dib waited for an answer. 

“Why would I let a filthy human like you into my base?! What kind of stupid trick is this!” 

“Well, ok then. You won’t know unless you let me in, though.”

“Hmm, you scheming creatures are absolutely disgusting. Zim must know what it is that you are planning. Get in.”

Zim grabbed Dib’s arm and yanked him inside, metal door slamming behind them. Zim stood impatiently; warily, scowling at the human like he always did. 

“Now you must tell Zim what you’re doing here, stinking human!”

Dib took in a deep breath, holding it for just a moment as if it would be his last. Daring to meet Zim’s eyes, he spoke.

“I live for you.”

“...what??”

“I live for you. You have been and always will be my purpose. For the rest of my short human life, you will be the only thing that matters. I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, and I’ve found myself entirely devoted to you. That doesn’t change the fact that you’re evil and terrible and I’m not going to let you take over earth, but I don’t hate you. You’re literally all I have and I like it that way. I’m only asking that you never leave me. That’s all.”

Dib let the words spill out. Everything he’d already admitted to himself, now out in the open. It felt raw and too real but it needed to be said. This was his truth, and Dib needed to hear it out loud. What this would result in, he didn’t know. Perhaps Zim would kill him. Perhaps he would leave earth. Dib tried to suppress those thoughts and instead searched the aliens eyes for any kind of hint. Zim stared back, unusually quiet. He almost seemed contemplative. Shifting his gaze, the alien opened his mouth to speak.

“Well, Dib-creature. That was certainly interesting. Zim does not quite understand your wretched human emotions, but I suppose... we are on similar wavelengths here.” 

And there, in the base of the enemy, Dib felt as good as he knew he could. Whatever this was that they had, it was special. It was broken and hectic and perfect. It was theirs. This bond that would stand the tests of wicked time. There was nothing to come between this, and there never would be. The confusion in Dib slowly faded to acceptance as he stood inches away from the alien. His alien. His purpose.

**Author's Note:**

> Yo I’ve loved this show with my whole heart since I can remember. Zim and Dib have the coolest dynamic and I just wanted to write something bc I’m so passionate for them. Sorry it’s not standard romance stuff but their bond is unbreakable.


End file.
